Douglas Garland has been charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Calgary residents Kathy and Alvin Liknes, as well as second-degree murder in the death of the couple's five-year-old grandson Nathan O'Brien.
The charges come a day after police announced that the search for the the family had become a triple murder investigation. Police believe there is enough evidence to say they have been murdered, but their bodies have not been recovered.
Garland was arrested Monday, and escorted to a Calgary police station late at night.
Nathan O'Brien, centre, and his grandparents, Kathy and Alvin Liknes, have not been seen since June 29. Their disappearance is now a homicide investigation. (Calgary Police Service)
He had been considered a "person of interest" up to that point, having been arrested previously on charges unrelated to the missing family case, and then released on bail.
The 54-year-old hung his head and said nothing to the cameras on his way into the Calgary arrest processing unit.
He was arrested early Monday morning at a property near the Airdrie acreage that has been at the centre of the investigation.
Garland is expected to appear in court on Wednesday.
It's been previously reported that Garland has several connections to the Liknes family. His sister is in a common-law relationship with Alvin Likneses' son.
CBC News has learned that Garland and Liknes were also involved in a patent dispute and that there was "bad blood" between them because of business dealings that had gone sour.
'Extraordinary search efforts'
Nathan and his grandparents went missing more than two weeks ago from a home in the southwest Calgary community of Parkhill. They disappeared after an estate sale at the property, and police said there was evidence a violent crime had occurred there.
The offence date listed on charges against Garland is June 30 — the day they were reported missing by Nathan's mother, Jennifer O'Brien.
Police have not found their remains despite a massive, round-the-clock search with more than 200 police officers and following up on more than 900 tips from the public.
"There's already been extraordinary search efforts as large as I've seen in this country in a long time," said retired homicide investigator Dave Perry on Monday.
"And now that the bodies haven't been recovered, I think that the search is going to expand and who knows where it's going to take them."
Calgary police continue to ask for the public's help. Rural property owners, including oil companies and businesses, are still being asked to search their properties for anything suspicious.
Before Garland's arrest Monday was announced, an Amber Alert issued when the family disappeared ended.
"However, the bodies of the three victims have not been found and investigators continue to ask people to come forward with any information they may have," said Calgary police in a release.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 403-266-1234, by email at homicidetips@calgarypolice.ca or through Crime Stoppers.
Community heartbroken over news
The announcement of the three charges has been difficult to accept for neighbours and friends.
A makeshift memorial has started in front of the Liknes home in the southwest Calgary community of Parkhill. (Devin Heroux/CBC)
At Saint Michael Catholic Community church, where Nathan was baptized and his parents attended, the news was devastating.
"My first reaction was tears. I was very sad. I almost cried. But I said, 'The Lord knows better,'" said Rev. Julian Studden.
He agrees that finding words under this circumstance is not easy.
"Just be present for them. We cannot say any words. Our presence speaks louder, and more effectively and more solidly to them."
He hasn't spoken to the family since the announcement, but hopes to meet with them Tuesday.
Katt Boulet lives down the street from the Liknes home where the family was last seen. She was one of the people who dropped off flowers and a card at a makeshift memorial in front of the home late Monday.
"I just can't imagine how the O'Briens are holding up these days," she says of Nathan's parents and family. "There's not much else we can except send our love, our strength, our support."
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